Tow packaging



Jan. 28, 1964 J. ZYTKA ETAL 3,119,212

'row PACKAGING 7 Filed Nov. 14, 1961 I 8 Sheets-Sheet H I, 1 T

V H /2 A 3 4 INVENTORS JOH/V zyr/m BY ALEXANDER J. CARMA/V .lan. 28,1964 .1. ZYTKA ETAL 3,119,212

'- TOW PACKAGING Filed Nov. 14, 1961 8Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. JOHN ZY-TKA ALEXANDER J. CAR/WAN ATTORNEY Jan. 2 8, 1964 J. ZYTKA ETAL3,119,212

TOW PACKAGING Filed Nov. 14, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. JOHNZ'YTKA ALEXANDER J. cARMA/v A TTORNEY Jan. 28, 1964 J. ZYTKA ETAL TOWPACKAGING 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 14, 1961 INVENTORS. JOHN Z YTKAALEXANDER J. CAR/VAN A TTOR/VEY J. ZYTKA ETAL TOW PACKAGING Jan. 28,1964 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Ndv. 14, 1961 Jan. '28, 1964 ZYTKA A3,119,212

TOW PACKAGING Filed Nov. 14, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet.

/ n A I INVENTORS. JOHN Z Y 7764 ALEXANDER J CARMA/V A T TORNEY Jan. 28,1964 J. ZYTKA ETAL 3,119,212

TOW PACKAGING Filed Nov. 14, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ALEXANDER J. CARMA/VAT TOR/V5) United States Patent 3,119,212 TGW PACKAGING John Zytka, GulfBreeze, Fla, and Alexander J. Carmen,

Nassau, Bahamas, British West Indies, assignors to American CyanamidCompany, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine Filed Nov. 14, 1961,Ser. No. 152,398 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-24) This invention relates to towpackaging apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for laying tow ina preselected pattern in a carton of rectangular cross section,transferring the carton to a tow compression station, and compressingthe tow to a desired density to produce a relatively compact package.

Synthetic fibers are sometimes produced in the form of a tow containinga relatively large number of individual continuous filaments. Itfrequently is desirable to package this tow in cartons for storage orshipment.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for laying apreselected amount of such tow in cartons of rectangular cross sectionin such a fashion as to minimize the possibility of tangling andtwisting of the tow or disturbance of the fiber arrangement within thetow during subsequent handling or when such tow is later withdrawn fromthe carton.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus forcompressing tow laid in the carton in such a preselected pattern toincrease the capacity of the carton by increasing the density of the towtherein.

It is still another object of this invention to provide method andapparatus for laying tow in a carton, transferring said carton to a towcompressing station, and compressing said tow, which method andapparatus is simple to operate, relatively inexpensive, and highlyreliable.

These objects, and other objects and advantages which will becomeapparent as this specification proceeds, are achieved through theutilization of the teachings of this invention, a specific embodiment ofwhich is illustrated and described in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a tow packaging apparatus withparts broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the tow packaging apparatusviewed from line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the tow packaging apparatus viewed fromline IIIIII of FIGURE 1 with portions omitted for clarity ofiilustration;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the roller conveyor system;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of the carton filling station;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the tow compress ing station;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the apparatusillustrated in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective View of the carton transfer mechanism in theprocess of interchanging the positions of a filled carton and an emptycarton;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged partial elevational view of the tow feeding andtraverse mechanisms;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged partial plan view of the tow feeding mechanism;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged plan View of the portion of the roller conveyorsystem underlying the tow cornpressing station viewed from line XIXI ofFIGURE 14;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the roller conveyorsystem viewed from line XII-XII of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged plan view of the supporting means for theroller conveyor system of FIGURES 1,1

"ice

and 12, viewed from the line XIIIXIII of FIGURE 14; FIGURE 14 is anenlarged elevational view of the roller conveyor system underlying thetow compressing station viewed from line XIVXIV of FIGURE 11; and FIGURE15 is a plan view of a carton showing the pattern of the tow laidtherein.

Referring next to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, thereis shown one embodiment of the tow packaging apparatus of this inventionhaving a carton filling station indicated generally by the numeral 11(illustrated in greater detail in FIGURE 5), a tow compressing stationindicated generally by the numeral 12 (illustrated in greater detail inFIGURE 6), and a carton transfer mechanism indicated generally by thenumeral 13 (illustrated in greater detail in FIGURE 8) for transferringcartons between carton filling station 11 and tow compressing station12, all mounted on a common supporting framework 14.

Carton Transfer Mechanism Carton transfer mechanism 13 (see FIGURE 8)includes a rotatable framework 17 supported between lower beams 18 andupper beams 19 of the main supporting framework 14 by means of centerpost 29 for rotational movement therearound. Carton transfer mechanism13 has two identical halves disposed about center post 2% so that uponrotation of rotatable framework 17 through an angle of the cartontransfer mechanism is again in a position identical to its previousposition. Extending from supporting framework 14 is a bracket 15 onwhich are mounted two microswitches 21 and 22. When carton transfermechanism 13 is in one of its extreme positions, microswitch 21 iscontacted; and when carton transfer mechanism 13 is in the other of itstwo extreme positions (after rotation of the rotatable framework 17through an angle of 180), the other microswitch 22 is contacted.

Rotatable framework 17 is an open gridlike structure having fourvertical angle irons 23 and three pairs of horizontal angle irons 24,25, and 26. The lowermost pair of horizontal angle irons 24 serves as asupport for two roller conveyor sections 28 and 29 extending betweencenter post 20 and vertical angle irons 23. Central horizontal angleirons 25 and uppermost horizontal angle irons 26 are somewhat longerthan lowermost angle irons 24 and therefore provide for an upper sectionof rotatable framework 17 which extends past vertical angle irons 23 tooverhang beyond the lower section of rotatable framework 17.

In view of the aforementioned symmetry of carton transfer mechanism 13,the remainder of the description of this structure will describe one ofthe identical halves only. While carton transfer mechanism 13 issymmetrical, as will be described hereinafter the equipment on each sideof rotatable framework '17 performs different functions at the sametime. By selective contacting of either of microswitches 2i and 22 bydifferent portions of the two ends of rotatable framework 17, differentcircuits may be actuated or deactivated, depending on which positionrotatable framework 17 is in, so as to assure equipment supported onrotatable framework 17 in each of the two positions possible performsthe functions appropriate to the position in which it is located.

Supported within the upper section of rotatable framework 17 is sleeve31 which is supported by wheels 32 on rails 33 mounted on centralhorizontal angle irons 25 for movement along rails 33 between a positionabove roller conveyor section 28 or 2h and a position remote from centerpost 2% in the overhanging portion of the upper section of rotatableframework 17 for purposes to be described hereinafter. Reciprocation ofsleeve 31 is produced by the use of an hydraulically-snubbed pneu- 3matically-actuated piston indicated generally by numeral 36.

As is better illustrated in FIGURE 1, hydraulicallysnubbedpneumatically-actuated piston 36 includes a piston rod 37 which extendsthrough hydraulic cylinder 38 and into pneumatic cylinder 39 and isprovided with pistons in each of the cylinders 33 and 39. Compressed airintroduced through inlet 41 passes through reducing valve 42 and oiler43 to solenoid valve 44 which directs the compressed air to either oftwo conduits 46 or 47 to cause piston rod 37 and the sleeve 31 to whichit is attached to move to the right or left as seen in FIGURE 1.

Hydraulic cylinder 38 is provided with a bypass conduit 49 extendingbetween outlets on the two ends of hydraulic cylinder 38. Bypass conduit49 is provide with needle valves 50 and a supply line 51 leading to anhydraulic fluid reservoir 52. Movement of piston 37 under the influenceof compressed air in pneumatic cylinder 39 causes a piston in hydrauliccylinder 38 to move pumping hydraulic fluid from one end of hydrauliccylinder 38 through needle valve 50, bypass conduit 49, and needle valve56 into the other end of hydraulic cylinder 38. The resistance to flowof this hydraulic fluid produced by the needle valves 50 serves tocontrol the rate of movement of piston 37 and sleeve 31 under theinfluence of pneumatic cylinder 39.

Mounted on the side of sleeve 31 is a pair of adjustable cams 61, 62which contact microswitches 63, 64 respectively when sleeve 31 isreciprocated. Microswitches 63 and 64 are operatively connected tosolenoid valve 41 to alternately admit compressed air into conduits 46and 47 to cause sleeve 31 to reciprocate between two positions which arefixed by adjusting the positions of cams 61 and 62 for purposes to bedescribed hereinafter.

In FIGURE 8, rotatable framework 17 of carton transfer mechanism 13 isshown in the middle of a rotational transfer movement whereby thepositions of the two sides of rotatable framework 17 and the two cartonson roller conveyor sections 28 and 29 are reversed.

In FIGURE 1, rotatable framework 17 of carton transfer mechanism 13 isshown in the position it assumes when one carton is being filled withtow in the carton filling station 11 and another carton is in the towcompressing station 12. Rotatable framework 17 is maintained in theposition shown in FIGURE 1 at all times except during the rotationthereof to reverse the positions of the two cartons and is accuratelylocked in this position by means of latch 55 (see FIGURES 1 and 6)mounted on the end of rotatable framework 17 which engages latch plate56 mounted on a vertical post 57 of supporting framework 14. Behindlatch plate 56 is microswitch 58 which is contacted when rotatableframework 17 is latched in position.

Mounted on a portion of the supporting framework 14 is a microswitch 66(see FIGURE 8) which can be contacted by an actuator 65 (see FIGURES l,and 8)when rotatable framework 17 is latched in position and sleeve 31is in its extreme position remote from center post 2-0 in the towcompressing station 12.

Carton Filling Station Carton filling station 11 (see FIGURE 5) includesa roller conveyor section 68 on which a carton being filled with tow canbe reciprocated by the motion of sleeve 31 under the influence ofhydraulically-snubbed pneumatically-actuated piston 36 (previouslydescribed).

Mounted on upper beams 19 of supporting framework 14 is a tow feedingand directing device 70 which includes a pair of feed rolls 71 and 72for feeding tow 73 to an oscillating tow directing tube 74.

As is best seen in FIGURE 1, tow feeding and directing device 70 isoperated by motor 76 operating through variable speed reducer 77 andgears in housing 78 to rotate feed rolls 71 and 72 to deliver tow '73 totow directing tube 74, which tube is oscillated by motor 76 operatingthrough variable speed reducer 77, variable speed drive 80, gear reducer81 and heart-shaped cam in housing 32. It is thus seen that the speed ofrotation of feed rolls 71 and 72 and the rate of oscillation of towdirecting tube 74 will be coordinated as both are driven from motor 76operating through variable speed reducer 77. The rate of feeding of tow73 is determined from the setting of variable speed reducer 77, whichmay be altered as desired by adjusting speed control 79 connectedthereto by a flexible shaft.

Heart-shaped cam 83 (see FIGURE 9) located within housing 82 actsthrough cam follower 84 secured to the side of tow directing tube 74 tooscillate it. The length of the oscillating stroke may be varied byvarying the location of the attachment of the end 86 of cam follower 84toward or away from the pivot 87 about which tow directing tube 74oscillates.

As illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10, feed rolls 71 and 72 are driventogether through the use of a plurality of intermeshing gears containedwithin housing 78. A first gear 90 is mounted on shaft 91 on which feedroll 71 is mounted and to which power from motor 76 is supplied.Intermeshing with gear 90 and rotated thereby is a second gear 92mounted for free rotation on shaft 93. Intermeshing with gear 92 androtated thereby is a third gear 94 mounted for free rotation on shaft95, which shaft also serves as a pivotable support for a shaft mounting97. Affixed to shaft 95 is a rotation counting device 96 which isdesigned to emit a signal after shaft 95 has rotated through apreselected number of revolutions thereby serving to meter the tow fedbetween feed rolls 71 and 72. Intermeshing with gear 94 and rotatedthereby is a fourth gear 98 mounted on shaft 99 supported in pivotableshaft mounting 97 and to which feed roll 72 is affixed.

Movable shaft mounting 97 is resiliently urged by spring 101 againstadjustable stop 102 mounted on a wall of housing 78. Adjustable stop 102is set so that when shaft mounting 97 is pressed thereagainst by spring101, feed roll 72 is then located the proper distance from feed roll 71for proper feeding of tow 73 by the rotation of feed rolls 71 and 72. Ifduring the feeding of tow 73 between feed rolls 71 and 72, a tangle orknot of tow should enter the nip and force feed rolls 71 and 72 apart,shaft mounting 97 would pivot about shaft 95 against the resistance ofspring 101 causing a finger 103 mounted on shaft mounting 97 to losecontact with microswitch 104. Release of the pressure of finger 103 onmicroswitch 104 operates through suitable mechanisms (not shown) to stopmotor 76 thereby stopping the operation of feed rolls 71 and 72 and theoscillation of tow directing tube 74. Likewise, should a portion of thetow wrap around either of the feed rolls 71 or 72 causing them toseparate, this would likewise cause the carton filling station 11 tocease operation.

Rotation counting device 96 is connected through suitable mechanisms(not shown) to stop motor 76, to actuate an alarm system, and to causesleeve 31 to be withdrawn from carton filling station 11 toward thecenter of rotatable framework 17 when rotation counting device 96indicates that a preselected amount of tow has been fed into the cartonand the sleeve 31 being filled. The amount of tow for which rotationcounting device 96 is set is that amount which upon subsequentcompression will just fill the carton with compressed tow at the properdensity.

Tow Compressing Station Tow compressing station 12 (see FIGURE 6)includes a vertically movable roller conveyor section 107 on which acarton may be supported directly beneath pneumatic press 108.

Pneumatic press 108 includes a press head 111 supported on piston rod112 mounted in pneumatic cylinder 113 for vertical movement. To lowerpress head 111,

air from compressed air line 115 is directed through control valve 116through conduit 117 to the upper end of pneumatic cylinder 113.Meanwhile air already in pneumatic cylinder 113 below the piston onpiston rod 112 is permitted to leave the bottom of pneumatic cylinder113 through conduit 118 to vent 119 under the control of valve 116. Toraise press head 111, valve 116 is repositioned so as to admitcompressed air from line 115 through conduit 118 to the bottom ofpneumatic cylinder 113 and to exhaust air from the upper portion ofpneumatic cylinder 113 through conduit 117 to vent 119. The action ofcontrol valve 116 is influenced by microswitch 66 (see FIGURE 8) in suchfashion as to permit lowering of press head 111 only when actuator 65contacts microswitch 65 thereby insuring that press head 111 can belowered only when rotatable framework 17 and sleeve 31 mounted thereonare in proper position under press 198. In order to insure maintenanceof the proper orientation of press head 111, press head 111 has affixedthereto a guide rod 121 which slides in sleeve 122 to prevent rotationof press head 111 about piston rod 112 as an axis.

In order to prevent movement of sleeve 31 while press head 111 isdownwardly extended into sleeve 31, press head 111 is provided with acontact surface 124 (see FIGURE 7) which contacts microswitch 125mounted on a portion of the supporting framework to permit energizingthe pneumatic system for reciprocating sleeve 31 only when press head111 is in its uppermost position.

Roller conveyor 1117 (see FIGURES 11, 12, 13 and 14) is supported onpiston 128 in hydraulic cylinder 129 for vertical movement thereon.Roller conveyor 1117 is also provided with a plurality of legs 131 eachslideable in a sleeve 131. Each sleeve 131 is provided with a detent 132which may be inserted through a slot in the wall of sleeve 131 to extendunder the lowermost end of leg 1% when conveyor 107 is in its raisedposition so as to provide strong support for roller conveyor 1117against the pressure produced by press head 111 in compressing the towinto the carton supported thereon.

Movement of detent 132 is controlled through the action of foot pedal136 which operates against the force of spring 137 and through linkages138. When roller conveyor 187 is in a lowered position, spring 1137resiliently urging foot pedal 136 upwardly acts through linkages 138 toresiliently urge detents 132 against the legs 130 through slots insleeves 131. When roller conveyor 107 is raised a sufiicient distance bypiston 128 in hydraulic cylinder 129, detent 132 snaps in below thelower end of legs 130 thus locking roller conveyor 197 in its uppermostposition. Depressing foot pedal 136 acts through linkages 138 to pivotdetents 132 about axes 133 to withdraw detents 132 from below legs 131)permitting roller conveyor 1117 to drop to its lowermost position whenhydraulic pressure in cylinder 129 is relieved.

Roller conveyor 1117 is provided with openings 14 1 through which wheels142 mounted on supports 143 can protrude when roller conveyor 11M is inits lowermost position. When roller conveyor 1117 is in its raisedposition, wheels 142 remain below the level of roller conveyor 1117.Thus when roller conveyor 1117 is in its ulppermost position, a cartonmay be rolled thereon in a vertical direction as seen in FlGURE 11,whereas when roller conveyor 1117 is dropped into its lowenmostposition, roller conveyor 107 is inoperative and a carton restingthereon may be moved laterally as seen in FIG- URE 11 on wheels 142.

Conveyor System A plan view of the roller conveyor system (see FIG- URE4) shows that carton transfer mechanism 13 is provided with two sectionsof roller conveyor 28, 29; carton filling station 1 1 is provided with asection of roller conveyor 63; and tow compressing station 12 isprovided with a section of roller conveyor 167. When 6 carton transfermechanism 13 is in its latched position, these sections of rollerconveyor (68, 29, 28 and 107) are disposed in a linear configuration.These sections of the roller conveyor and their functions have beenpreviously described.

Forming another roller conveyor pathway are a plurality of sections ofroller conveyor arranged perpendicularly to the aforementioned rollerconveyor section. This roller conveyor system includes roller conveyorsection 146, wheels 142 (previously described), roller conveyor section147, and scale 148 with roller conveyor 14? on its platform. Thus whenroller conveyor section 167 is lowered as described in connection withFIGURES ll through 14, cartons may be moved across this section of theroller conveyor from the tow compressing station 12 across rollerconveyor section 147 to scale 148, and another carton may be moved fromroller conveyor 146 into the tow compressing station.

M ode of Operation The tow packaging device of this invention operateson two cartons concurrently. While one carton is being filled with towbeing laid therein in a proper preselected pattern, a second carton hasthe tow therein compressed, is removed to a scale for weighing, and isreplaced with an empty carton. Taking, as a starting point fordescribing the cycle of operation, that moment in time when a fullcarton of compressed tow has just been removed from the weighing scale,the sequence otf operations for the next carton to be filled will bedescribed briefly.

An empty carton A previously placed on roller conveyor 14 6, is slidinto position B on wheels 142 below one sleeve 31 in tow compressingstation 12. Roller conveyor section 1117' is raised by piston 128 inhydraulic cylinder 12% until detents 132 move into position to lockroller conveyor 167 in its upper position, thereby slipping the upperpontion of the empty carton around the lower portion of sleeve 31.Actuation of pneumatic cylinder 39 retracts piston 37 pulling sleeve 31toward center post 20 of the rotary carton transfer means 13 therebypositioning the empty carton and sleeve 31 in position C on one of theroller conveyors 28.

When the other canton has been filled with tow, latch 55 is released androtatable framework 17 is rotated about center post 2b as illustrated inFIGURE 8 to interchange the empty carton and the filled carton. When thecarton transfer means 13 has been rotated latch 55 is inserted intolatch plate 56 to contact microswitch 58 to permit resumption ofoperation of the various mechanisms of the tow packaging apparatus. Whentransfer means 13 is latched into position, a portion of the rotatableframework .17 contacts either microswitch 2101 microswitch 22 to sensethe orientation of rotatable framework, i.e., whether the side includingroller conveyor section 2-8 is facing toward the tow compressing stationor toward the canton filling station.

Activation of pneumatic cylinder 39 to push piston 37 serves to movesleeve 3-1 and the carton from a position D adjacent center post 21 to aposition in carton filling station 111 beneath tow directing tube 74.Tow '73 fed by rolls 71, 72 through oscillating tow directing tube 74 isfed through sleeve 31 into the carton which is reciprocated by alternatereversals of piston 37 to lay the tow 73 in the carton in the patternillustrated in FIGURE 15. As pnevu'ously pointed out the alternatereversals of piston 37 are induced by cams 61 and 62 contactingmicroswitches 63 and 64 which openate solenoid valve 44. Only thosemicroswitches 63 and 64 on the side of rota able framework 17 positionedin the canton filling station are activated by microswitch 21 or 22(whichever is contacted), the corresponding microswitch'es 63 and 64located in the tow compressing station 12 being inactivated.

When sumcient tow has been fed between rolls 71, 72 to provide a filledcarton after compression, which amount of tow will fill a substantialproportion of sleeve 31 prior to compression, rotation counting device96 operates suitable devices (a) to stop motor 76, thereby stopping therotation of feed rolls 71, 72 and the oscillation of tow directing tube74, (b) to actuate pneumatic cylinder 39 to retract piston 37 to pullsleeve 31 and its associated carton onto roller conveyor 29 intoposition D adjacent center post 20, and (c) to actuate an alarm systemto notify the operator that sufiicient tow has been laid in the cartonand sleeve 31.

The operator resets the alarm system, and rotation counting device 96,severs the end of the tow 73 hanging from the top of sleeve 31, releaseslatch 55, and rotates carton transfer means 13 through 180 to move thenow filled carton to position C adjacent the tow compressing station 12.

After resetting latch 55, pneumatic cylinder 39 is actuated to pushpiston 37 and sleeve 31 away from center post until actuator 65 contactsmicroswitch 66 thereby assuring accurate location of the filled cartonin position B on roller conveyor 107 directly beneath press head 111 ofpneumatic press 108. Of course, concurrently here-with, a new emptycarton on the other side of carton transfer means 13 is located incarton filling station 11 by actuation of the other pneumatic cylinder39 as previously explained.

Actuation of pneumatic cylinder 113 (which is permitted only whenmicroswitch 66 is contacted) forces press head 111 down into sleeve 31compressing tow 73 down into the carton to the desired density. Reversalof valve 116 retracts press head 111 after which roller conveyor 107 islowered by depressing foot pedal 136 to lower the filled carton and tofree it from sleeve 31.

The filled carton is then moved over roller conveyor 147 to position Eon roller conveyor platform 149 of scale 148 to determine the weight oftow contained therein. Positioning of another empty carton A on rollerconveyor 146 starts a new cycle.

It is thus seen that the above-described apparatus, following theteachings of this invention, provides one embodiment of a tow packagingapparatus suitable for achieving the objects desired. However, it is tobe understood, that the above description of specific apparatus detailsis meant to be illustrative of a specific form of this invention, andthat the scope of this invention is not to be limited to such details,but is to include all equivalents thereof within the scope of thesubjoined claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for packaging tow in cartons, comprising, a main support; arotatable framework supported by said main support, said rotatableframework having a relatively short lower section and a relativelylonger upper section overhanging beyond said lower section at each endthereof, said rotatable framework being substantially symmetrical aboutits axis of rotation; a pair of sleeves each supported in the uppersection of said rotatable framework for movement along a path extendingbetween a position adjacent the axis of rotation of said rotatableframework where said sleeve is above a portion of the lower section ofsaid rotatable framework and a position remote from said axis ofrotation where said sleeve is beyond the limits of said lower section,each sleeve being adapted to cooperate with a carton placed therebelowto effectively form a temporary vertical extension thereof; means formoving each of said sleeves along its said path; tow feeding anddirecting means for feeding and directing tow into a sleeve and a cartonplaced therebelow; and press means for compressing tow from a sleeveinto the carton placed therebelow, said tow feeding and directing meansand said press means being disposed on opposite sides of the axis ofrotation of said rotatable framework so each of said means maysimultaneously have one sleeve of said pair of sleeves operativelyassociated therewith.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving eachsleeve comprises; a first cylinder provided with means for introducinggas under pressure to either end thereof while exhausting gas from theopposite end thereof; a second cylinder with each end thereof connectedto a bypass conduit for the passage of liquid through said conduit fromone end of said second cylinder to the other end of said cylinder; 2.piston rod secured to said sleeve and secured to a first piston in saidfirst cylinder and to a second piston in said second cylinder wherebygas introduced into one end of said first cylinder moves said firstpiston moving said piston rod causing said sleeve to move and causingsaid second piston to force liquid from one end of said second cylinderto the other through said bypass conduit; and means for controlling theresistance to flow of liquid through said bypass conduit therebycontrolling the rate of movement of said piston rod and said sleeve.

3. Apparatus for packaging tow in cartons, comprising, a main support; arotatable framework supported by said main support, said rotatableframework having a relatively short lower section and a relativelylonger upper section overhanging beyond said lower section at each endthereof, said rotatable framework being substantially symmetrical aboutits axis of rotation; a pair of sleeves each supported in the uppersection of said rotatable framework for movement along a path extendingbetween a position adjacent the axis of rotation of said rotatableframework where said sleeve is above a portion of the lower section ofsaid rotatable framework and a position remote from said axis ofrotation where said sleeve is beyond the limits of said lower section,each sleeve being adapted to cooperate with a carton placed therebelowto effectively form a temporary vertical extension thereof; means formoving each of said sleeves along its said path; tow feeding anddirecting means for feeding and directing tow into a sleeve and a cartonplaced therebelow; press means for compressing tow from a sleeve intothe carton placed therebelow, said tow feeding and directing means andsaid press means being disposed on opposite sides of the axis ofrotation of said rotatable framework so each of said means maysimultaneously have one sleeve of said pair of sleeves operativelyassociated therewith, and after rotation of said rotatable frameworkhave the other of said pair of sleeves operatively associated therewith;and carton supporting means below said press means having an uppersurface thereof vertically movable between a lowermost position topermit an empty carton to be placed below one of the sleeves and topermit removal of a full carton from below the sleeve and an uppermostposition wherein the carton may be held in position to cooperate with asleeve.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said carton supporting meanscomprises; a vertically moveable, substantially horizontal rollerconveyor section having at least one opening therethrough; a pluralityof wheels mounted with their axes perpendicular to the axes of therollers of said roller conveyor section; and means for raising andlowering said roller conveyor section to an upper position wherein thecarton is supported on said roller conveyor section and to a lowerpostion wherein the carton is supported on said wheels extending throughsaid opening in said roller conveyor section.

5. Apparatus for packaging tow in cartons, comprising, a main support; arotatable framework supported by said main support, said rotatableframework having a relatively short lower section and a relativelylonger upper section overhanging beyond said lower section at each endthereof, said rotatable framework being substantially symmetrical aboutits axis of rotation; a pair of sleeves each supported in the uppersection of said rotatable framework for movement along a path extendingbetween a position adjacent the axis of rotation of said rotatableframework where said sleeve is above a portion of the lower section ofsaid rotatable framework and a position remote from said axis ofrotation where said sleeve is beyond the limits of said lower section,each sleeve being adapted to cooperate with a carton placed therebelowto effectively form a temporary vertical extension thereof; means formoving each of said sleeves along its said path; reversing meansoperable when filling a carton with tow for causing said sleeve movingmeans to oscillate said sleeve and its associated carton along its path;tow feeding and directing means for feeding tow and for directing saidtow into said sleeve and carton in a path oscillating substantiallyperpendicular to the path along which said sleeve and carton areoscillating therebelow; and press means for compressing tow from asleeve into the carton placed therebelow, said tow feeding and directingmeans and said press means being disposed on opposite sides of the axisof rotation of said rotatable framework so each of said means maysimultaneosuly have one sleeve of said pair of sleeves operativelyassociated therewith.

6. A process for packaging tow in cartons, comprising, laying tow in apreselected pattern in one carton at a first station while concurrentlyat a second station compressing the tow previously laid in a precedingcarton, removing said preceding carton, and replacing it with an emptycarton in said second station; and interchanging the positions of theempty carton in said second station and the thus filled carton in saidfirst station, whereby a single second station serves to compress thetow in all cartons filled at a single first station.

7. A process for packaging tow in cartons, comprising, at a firststation linearly oscillating a carton and a sleeve operativelyassociated therewith in a first direction while feeding tow into saidcarton and sleeve in a path oscillating linearly in a second directionsubstantially perpendicular to said first direction, said twooscillations being so coordinated to lay said tow in said carton andsleeve in a preselected pattern; while concurrently at a second stationcompressing tow previously laid in another carton and sleeve operativelyassociated therewith into the carton, lowering the carton to release itfrom the sleeve, removing the carton full of compressed tow, replacingthe carton with anempty carton, and raising the empty carton tooperative ly associate it with the sleeve; and interchanging thepositions of the empty carton and sleeve in the second station and thethus filled carton and sleeve in the first station, whereby a singlesecond station serves to compress the tow in all cartons filled at asingle first station.

8. A tow packaging apparatus comprising, a main support; first means onsaid support for directing tow into a carton in a predetermined patternincluding directing means for directing tow into said carton, means forreciprocating said carton in a first direction, means to impartreciprocating motion in a second direction to the tow entering saidcarton, and means to coordinate said carton reciprocating means and saidtow reciprocating means to lay said row in said carton in a preselectedpattern; second means on said support for compressing tow in a carton,said support having an equal number of first means and second means; androtatable means for interchanging the positions of a pair of cartonsbetween said first means and said second means.

Nickerson Aug. 17, 1897 Weber July 9, 1957

1. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING TOW IN CARTONS, COMPRISING, A MAIN SUPPORT; AROTATABLE FRAMEWORK SUPPORTED BY SAID MAIN SUPPORT, SAID ROTATABLEFRAMEWORK HAVING A RELATIVELY SHORT LOWER SECTION AND A RELATIVELYLONGER UPPER SECTION OVERHANGING BEYOND SAID LOWER SECTION AT EACH ENDTHEREOF, SAID ROTATABLE FRAMEWORK BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SYMMETRICAL ABOUTITS AXIS OF ROTATION; A PAIR OF SLEEVES EACH SUPPORTED IN THE UPPERSECTION OF SAID ROTATABLE FRAMEWORK FOR MOVEMENT ALONG A PATH EXTENDINGBETWEEN A POSITION ADJACENT THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLEFRAMEWORK WHERE SAID SLEEVE IS ABOVE A PORTION OF THE LOWER SECTION OFSAID ROTATABLE FRAMEWORK AND A POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID AXIS OFROTATION WHERE SAID SLEEVE IS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF SAID LOWER SECTION,EACH SLEEVE BEING ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH A CARTON PLACED THEREBELOWTO EFFECTIVELY FORM A TEMPORARY VERTICAL EXTENSION THEREOF; MEANS FORMOVING EACH OF SAID SLEEVES ALONG ITS SAID PATH; TOW FEEDING ANDDIRECTING MEANS FOR FEEDING AND DIRECTING TOW INTO A SLEEVE AND A CARTONPLACED THEREBELOW; AND PRESS MEANS FOR COMPRESSING TOW FROM A SLEEVEINTO THE CARTON PLACED THEREBELOW, SAID TOW FEEDING AND DIRECTING MEANSAND SAID PRESS MEANS BEING DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE AXIS OFROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE FRAMEWORK SO EACH OF SAID MEANS MAYSIMULTANEOUSLY HAVE ONE SLEEVE OF SAID PAIR OF SLEEVES OPERATIVELYASSOCIATED THEREWITH.
 6. A PROCESS FOR PACKAGING TOW IN CARTONS,COMPRISING, LAYING TOW IN A PRESELECTED PATTERN IN ONE CARTON AT A FIRSTSTATION WHILE CONCURRENTLY AT A SECOND STATION COMPRESSING THE TOWPREVIOUSLY LAID IN A PRECEDING CARTON, REMOVING SAID PRECEDING CARTON,AND REPLACING IT WITH AN EMPTY CARTON IN SAID SECOND STATION; ANDINTERCHANGING THE POSITIONS OF THE EMPTY CARTON IN SAID SECOND STATIONAND THE THUS FILLED CARTON IN SAID FIRST STATION, WHEREBY A SINGLESECOND STATION SERVES TO COMPRESS THE TOW IN ALL CARTONS FILLED AT ASINGLE FIRST STATION.